Tool for repairing rubber fabrics.



No. 655,222. Patented Aug. 7, |900.'

c. P. GIFFonn.

TOOL FDR REPAIRING RUBBER FABRICS.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

lIO

UNITED STATES.,

PATENT iuucn.

C YRUS P. GIFFORD, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Tool.. FoR REPAlRlNc RUBBER FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters recent No. 655,222, dated August 7, 1900. Application led J' anuary 10, 19()0. Serial No. 957. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LCYRUs P. Girronma citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices or Tools for Repairing Rubber or other Fabrics; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciiicatiomand to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The presentv invention has relation to that class of tools or devices used for the purpose of plugging holes in rubber fabrics, such as hollow or pneumatic bicycle or other vehicle tires; and the invention consists in providing a simple and practical as Well as easily-operating device whereby the puncture or hole in the hollow tire or other rubber fabric maybe conveniently and expeditiously repaired,substantially as shown in the drawings and here` inafter described and claimed. c

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective View of a repairing tool or device constructed in accordance with `my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof, showing the points of the expanding rods or needles entering the punctureor hole in the rubber fabric; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the points of the rods or needles expanded or spread out laterally to enlarge the puncture in the fabric to admit the discharge of the rubber cement or other material used for repairing the puncture. Fig. 4: is a sectional elevation of the repairing tool or device, showing the cement deposited in the opening of ythe fabric to close the same; Figr, a sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2 Fig. 6, a similar view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7, a sectional View taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 4.. Y

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a portion of a rubber bicycle or other hollow tire for vehicles or any elastic fabric that requires repairing, the same being shown to better illustrate the use of my improved repairing tool or device.

The tool or device consists in part of a discharge tube B of any suitable length and diameter and provided at its upper end with an interior screw-threaded coupling a, or other suitable means provided for connecting to the tube a suitable air-forcing bulb C, of anyl preferred construction. Where the screwthreaded coupling ct is used, the bulb'is provided with a screw-threaded neck d to engage the screw-threaded coupling, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Upon theouter periphery of the discharge-tube D are formed grooved guides c, as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings, and the lower end of the tube B is cup-shaped, as shown at CZ, and has a plurality of holes c, through which extend the lower ends of suitable needles or rods D, which needles or rods are attached'at their upper ends to a suitable plunger-head E. The discharge-tube B extends up through a central` hole in the plunger-head E and forms a guide therefor, the circumferential shoulder f on the tube forming astop for the plunger-head to limit its downward movement.

'The needle-sor rods D are pointed at'their ends, and any suitable number may be used, as found desirable. Said needles or rods when contracted, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, form together a single tapering point adapted to easily enter in the puncture or hole in the fabric, and by forcing down the plunger-head E the needles or rods will be forced to expand or enlarge the puncture to admitV the cement or other liquid material used, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. After the puncture has been expanded or enlarged by the expandingv or forcing out- -ward of the needles or rods the liquid cement is forced into the orifice in the fabric by compressing the bulb, which will deposit the cement in the puncture or orifice by atmospheric pressure and when the cement is dry will effectually close the openin g in the pneumatic tire or other rubber fabric requiring repairing or mending.

It will be noticed that the needles or rods D are connected to the plunger-head E some distance from the'center thereof, while the holes ein the cup-shaped end of the dischargetube B describe a circle whose diameter is much less than the circle described by the upper ends of the needles or rods, thereby producing a spring-like action of the needles-or rods when being brought to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1 of-the drawings. These needles or rods may be of any suitable construction and preferably of spring metal IOO and which I prefer to terni expanding needles or rods, as their purpose is solely to enter the puncture in the fabric and exp'andthe same and hold it so expanded until the liquid cement is deposited therein. l i Y Any suitable and well-known cement-forcing devicemay be used Yin place of the' air-f bulb C, as found most desirable, and any suitable means may besubstituted in place ofthe plunger-head E for connecting together the needles or rods D, whereby they will move simultaneously when forced up or-down.

Many-changes may be made in the several`v details of construction without aectingthej` essential features of the invention and any...

modifications `resorted to as would come within ordinary mechanical skill-such, for in-l stance, as a simple 'circumferential flange with perforations to take the place of the cupshaped extension d. I wish it also understood that the device or tool may be used for mending or repairing punctures or holes in any kind of rubber or similar fabrics, as Ido not confine my invention to bicycle-tires or' pneumatic tires in general, but for mending anything for which a device or tool of this character would be found useful.

' Having now fully described my invention,

t what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' `1.Y YAtool or device for repairing rubber or other'fabrics, consisting of a discharge-tube provided at its upper end with a suitable cev v mentor other liquid forcing device, and at or nearits lower end having a plurality of perforations or holes, and al suitableplungerhead and "a plurality of vpointed rods or needles connecting therewith and-extending in to' and through the perforations or holes whereby-the rods or needles are contracted or eX- panded by the movement of the plunger, substantially as'jand' forthepurpos'ejset forth.

\ 2. VAtool or device for repairing rubber or other fabricsneonsistiugt a discharge-tube,

i having grooved guides upon its outer periphery, a plurality of needles or rods adapted to move `in the guides, a plunger-head to which the `needlesor'rods are connected, and a suitablecementor other liquid forcing apparatus Aconnecting with the tube,substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.A f -V 'i 3. AV tool or device for repairingrubber or other'fabri'c, consisting of a discharge-tube, aY cement or other liquid forcing apparatus connecting therewith, guide-grooves upon. the outer periphery of the tube, said tube having a cup-shaped lower end with perforations therein, and a plurality of needles or rodsextending through the perforations -and engaging the guidefgrooves, and a suitable plunger-head connecting theupper ends of the needles or rods, substantially as and fo'rthe purpose set forth. Y Y

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS l. Y GIFFORD. Witnesses L. L. GIFFORD, N. B. JONES. 

